


Questions on Mourning

by LadyBrooke



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-10
Updated: 2014-06-10
Packaged: 2018-02-04 02:46:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1763301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Celeborn knows the Noldor view him as the source of information when questions about the Sindar come up. </p>
<p>That doesn't make it any easier to answer Celebrimbor and Galadriel's questions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Questions on Mourning

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "I Survived First Age Beleriand" Silmarillion Appreciation Week on Tumblr, Day 2 - Celeborn and Galadriel. (Tag 'ISFAB week').

“You know the current gossip, don’t you?” Celebrimbor didn’t look up from where he was working on a necklace on the table.

Celeborn sighed. “No, but I assume you’re going to tell me and make sure that I do, probably in the most uncomfortable way possible.”

“If you want comfort, talk to your wife over there in the corner, watching me make this birthday gift for Gil-galad for you two,” he replied. “Of course, she’s probably curious about the reason behind the source of gossip, just like I am. She’s just too polite-”

“Or capable of self-control,” Galadriel said.

“Or that, to bring it up to you,” Celebrimbor finished.

“Eru spare us from the curiosity of the Noldor, I suppose. Very well, ask your question. Is it about the idea that the Sindar lived in nests while in Doriath? Or that one of Oropher’s family has fallen in love with an Ent and follows them around the forest?” Celeborn smirked at the looks on the others faces. “Where you two unaware of that gossip, or merely unaware that I knew of it?”

“The first,” Galadriel said. “How our people are so…” She trailed off, unable to think of a word.

“Idiotic?” Celebrimbor suggested. “Possessing none of the famous intellect of their ancestors, but merely mimicking what’s around them like one of those birds Cirdan brought back from his adventures?”

“Be nice, children,” Celeborn said. “It’s not all their fault, when one of the favorite games in the city is to encourage such rumors.”

“And I suppose you play no role in such games?” Galadriel asked.

Celeborn merely grinned.

Celebrimbor shook his head. “Back to the original discussion, that is to say…”

“You aren’t normally one lacking in words,” Celeborn raised an eyebrow.

Celebrimbor drew in a breath and then spoke. “The people want to know how the Sindar are able to continue acting as though everything is normal, when your lands just sank beneath the sea.”

Galadriel’s hand tightened so slightly around her cup that Celeborn only barely noticed it.

“Something tells me that isn’t all they wonder about,” Celeborn said. “Perhaps they also wonder how I can stand to be near you, the son of Curufinwë, who seems his grandfather’s echo? Perhaps they wonder why Oropher and his family still come to visit, when they have publicly proclaimed their dislike of how the Noldor rule?”

Celebrimbor nodded.

Celeborn closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Releasing it, he opened his eyes. “I cannot fully answer all of that. But they come because we are still family, even if I choose to dwell with the Noldor and they leave seeking lands far away from Noldor influence – even if I have warned them to stay away, if they don’t wish to risk doom.”

Galadriel startled at this, but Celebrimbor only nodded his head – in some ways, Celeborn thought, Celebrimbor was the only of the Noldor who understood his urge to keep those of the Sindar and Silvan he could away from the Noldor. Then again, his family was the one who had brought a great deal of the destruction, so he knew what they could cause.

“I can stand to be near you, because you have done nothing to harm me or mine so far,” Celeborn hesitated as he spoke, but neither pushed him to explain more. “As for how we act as though nothing is wrong…they do. There is less singing, less dancing, less anything than existed in Doriath. But we have built our home anew many times over the years, and are used to making a new normal. What would be the use of wailing away in public and upsetting the children, when nothing can be changed and energy must be spent making new homes?”

He paused again. “The only thing that let us survive the March, Elu’s disappearance, Olwë leaving, and both destructions of Doriath was putting our energy to better use.”

Celebrimbor nodded, while Galadriel had moved and grasped his hand to comfort him. He smiled down at their entwined hands, before pulling his away. “If you will excuse me, I think I shall go seek out Amdir and see if he needs anything before he departs.”

As he left, he heard Celebrimbor return to working on the necklace with Galadriel suggesting small changes to make it more like what she envisioned for Gil-galad’s gift.

He took a deep breath again. They had survived the First Age. It was time to focus on the Second, for as long as it would last until the next end.


End file.
